Bell-gear for blast-furnaces.



I PATENTED' AUG. 18, 1903. J. 0. GROMWELL & 0-. A. KOELKEBEGK.

BELL GEAR PORBLAST FURNACES.

v APPLICATION FILED DBO. 11, 1002. no MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET i.

INVENTORS.

wrrnssszs N5. 736,366. PATENTED AUG, 13, 1903. J. c. GROMWELL & a. W. A.KOBLKEBBGK.

' 'BELL GEAR FOR BLAST FURNACES.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. '11, 1902.

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NO- 736,366. 7 PATENTED AUG. 18. 1903. J. G. GROMWBLL & G. W. A.KOELKEBEGK.

BELL GEAR FOR BLAST FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 11 1902.

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wrrn lssss' 1 liven-mas Q N. u. 0. Tu: uonms PETERS c0 vuorou'mq,wasuma'ro PATBNTE'D AUG. '16, 1903.. J. 6. GROMWELL & 0. W. A.KOELKEBEGK.

BELL GEAR FOR BLAST FURNACES.

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7 $HE ET$-SHEBT 7 INV ENTOR Ma x ly/Jdlunu V if 1 PATENTEDAUG.,18,1903'.- J. c. GROMWELL & 0. W. A. KOBLKEBEGL BELL "GEAR FOR BLASTFURNACES. APPL'IOATION FILED DBO. 11, 1902.

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Patented August 18, 1903.

T UNITEDSTATES f PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. OROMWELL AND CARL W. A. KOELKEBECK, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

BELL-G EAR FOR BLAST-FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 736,366, dated August18, 1903.

application filed December 11, 1902. SerialNo-134fl38. (No model.)

and CARL W. A. KoELKEBEcK, of Cleveland,

Ouyahoga county, Ohio, have invented a new anduseful Bell-GearforBlast-Furnaces, of

, which the following is a full, clear, and exdrums. Fig. is an enlargeddetail of one of act description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevatio showing one form of ourimproved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the motor-house. Fig.3 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the crank mechanism. Fig. 4. is atop plan view showing amodified form of operating-gear in the form ofwindingthe drums, showing the manner of winding. Fig. 6 is apartial sideelevation showing the form of Figs. land 5. Fig. 7 is atop plan view ofthe furnace-top mechanism of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sideelevation showing a modified form of the furnace-top mechanism; and Fig.9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with a modified arrangement of the sheavefor the skip-hoist. Fig. 10 is a detail view of the sheave and hoistingconnections for the bells, and Fig. 11 is a detail of the connecting-rodand crank for the operating-gear.

Our invention relates to the operating-gear for actuating the bells ofblast-furnaces. It is designed to largely do away with the top work ofthe furnace-stack, to remove all motors from the furnace top, and toprovide simple and efiective mechanism in the engine or motor housewhich will act upon flexible connections leading to the bells andoperate them in the desired manner,

1 It further consists in providing counterweights in connection with thecables or flexible connections leading to, or near to, the

; yard-level, which counterweights will act to seat the bells whenreleased, and, further, to provide against shocks and injury owing tosudden seating of thebell.

In the drawings, referring to the forms of Figs. 1 to'3, we show ablast-furnace 2, having the usual inclined bridge 3 leading to its topand supporting the track for-the skipcar 4.. The cable 5 for thisskip-car extends to and up around anupper sheave and thence down to awinding-drum 7 in the motorhouse 8. We have shown this motor-house aselevated above the yard-level upon a structure 9, but it may be locatedat any desired level, such as at the ground-level.

The bell-operating rod 10 for the lower main .bell extends upwardlythrough the tubular rod 11 for the upper bell to a cross-head 12. Twowire ropes 13 are secured to the ends of the cross-head and extend upover two sheaves 14: upon a common shaft at the upper end of the bridgeand thence down to the motor-house. The tubular rod 11 for the upperbell is provided at its upper end with a cross-head 15 at an angle tothe cross-head 12 and connected by two rods 16 with an upper and similarcross-head 17. A chain 18 is centrally secured to the cross-head 17 andextends upwardly over a chain-wheel 19, located between and on the sameshaft as the chainwheels 1e for the two chains of the main bell. Thechain 18 is secured to a wire rope 20, which in this form extends to across-head 21,- having two chains 22, which lead over chain- Wheels 23and downwardly to a counterweight The counter- 24, to which they aresecured. weight 24 slides vertically within guides 25 and isheavier thanthe belland the charge combined. This counterweight will therefore seatthe upper bell and hold it seated whenever it is allowed to act, andtolower the bell I lift the counterweight by connecting to the weight 24 alifting-chain 26, which leads up to a crank 27, projecting from a shaft28. I have shown this shaft as provided with an internal gear-wheel 29,with which engages a pinion 30, whose shaft 31 is provided with aW0rm-whee132, engaging aworm 33 on the shaft 34, which is driven byelectric motor 35. Another worm 36 upon this shaft engages anotherworm-wheel 37, the two providing an equalizing-gear to neutralize theendtthrust on the worm-shaft. I WVhen the upper bell is seated, thecrank 27 is in a vertical position, projecting downwardly. When it isdesired to dump the charge, the operator starts the motor 35 and thusturns the crank from its depending vertical position into successiveangular positions, thus lifting the counterweight and allowing the loadof the charge to force the bell down and discharge it. The

movement of this crank is comparatively slow and is timed, so that inone revolution of it the stock will be discharged before the bell isagain lifted to its seat by the counterweight\ Itshould be noted thatthe first portion of the movement of the crank is an idle movement,which takes up the slack in the connectingchain, and owing to thechanging angularity of the crank as the crank in the last quarter of itsstroke moves from a horizontal down into a vertical position themovement of the bell will be slowed up, allowing it to seatwithoutsudden jar under the action of the counterweight.

The ropes 13 for the main bell extend down to and over chain-wheels 38and down to a counterweight 39, which is similar to the countel-weight34, but larger, and is heavier than the weight of the main bell and itscharge. This weight is lifted by chain connection 40 with a crank 41,which is operated by gearing similar to that already described for theother crank.

In order to reduce the amount of power required in lifting the weightwhich closes the main bell, we provide a weight 42, hung upon a chain43, which extends over an upper pulley 44 and thence down to aconnecting-rod 45 on the crank, to which it is secured. When the bell isclosed, the movement of the crank is stopped by an electric cut-out andbrake, and the crank is then in a down position in line with the cord 43in the portion on this side of the upper wheel. The weight 42 thereforeexerts no influence in attempting to turn the crank, and hence thebellremains seated. When the crank begins to turn, however, the weight 42 atonce begins to exert a lift upon the crank, which thus assists inlifting the weight 39 and lowering the bell, while on the latter half ofthe stroke the crank lifts the weight 42 and allows the weight 39 toclose the bell. We prefer to use this assisting weight in the case of alarge bell on account of the amount of power that would otherwise berequired. During the last quarter of the stroke as the weight 39 nearsthe lower end of its travel the bell will seat, and the weight will thentravel a slight amount, owing to the stretch'of the rope, but it willthen come to rest. After this the further travel of the crank puts aslack in the operating-chain while completing its one revolutionand-bringing it again into line with the chain 43.

Instead of using the crank system, which we prefer on account of itssimplicity and the ease of varying the speed, we may use differentialwinding-drums, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6. In these figures, 23 arethe chain-wheels for the cable of the upper bell and 38 those for thelower and main bell. The chains 22 pass over these wheels and down tothe weight 24. A sheave 44 is connected to the weight, and around itpass wire ropes 45, which are wound around a differential drum 46, theirends being secured at opposite sides of this drum at 47 and 48. Thisdrum is differential,

and the'helical grooves for the cables increase and decrease in diameterin a peculiar relation. The purpose of this is to decrease the \speed atthe moment of closing the bell and also at the beginning of lifting theweight to open "the bell. On turning the drum the amount of lift of theweight will depend upon the diflt'erence between the lift of the bightson one side and the lowering of those on the other, this depending onthe difference of the radii of the grooves at any particular point, andthis difference is therefore varied, so that at the start and near theend of travel the movement will be slow to give a slow I movement in thestart of the opening and in the seating of the bell. We have shown thedrum as actuated by an electric motor 49, having slowmotion gearing 50connected with the drum. As the drum revolvesin one direction, say fiveor six revolutions, it will lower and then raise the bell with a slowmotion at the ends of the stroke. On the reverse movement of the drumthe same moven'nents are again imparted to the bell as before.

In Fig. 8 we show the operating-cables 13 for the main bell, and 20 forthe upper bell extending upwardly from the motor-house to levers 51 and52, which are mounted at the upper end of the bridge in bearings 53.Each of these levers is provided with a segmental portion 54, to whichthe chains for the bells are secured, the belland cross-head connectionsbeing substantially the same as-before. In this formI show the sheave 6for the skiphoist as located at the top of the bridge.

In Fig. 9 we show a form substantially similar to that of Fig. ,8,similar parts being marked with similar numerals, with a appliedthereto, except that the sheave 6 for the skiphoist is located below theupper end of the track and upon the pivotal links 55, which connect thebridge to the top of the furnace. The weighted levers 51 and 52 are alsoslightly modified as to their form and chain connection. In theseforms'of Figs. 8 and 9 the operating mechanism in the motor-house may bethe same as above described, the actuating connections operating the toplevers and thereby the bells in the same manner as though connectedcontinuously and directly to the bells. r

, The advantages of our invention result from the doing away with allmotors at the top of the furnace, from the clearing away of a largeamount of framing at the furnace top, and

from the simplicity and effectiveness of the hoist connections. The useof the counterweights greatly reduces the power required, while meansare provided for slowing down the movement and closing the bell toprevent injury to the bell or hopper.

Many changes may be made in the form and arrangement of the hoppers andbells,

the actuating connections, and the operating mechanism in the engine ormotor house without departing from our invention,

tially as described.

2. A furnace having a hopper and bell, an operating-cable for the bellextending from the furnace top downwardly and connected to acounterweight, and mechanism at or near the ground-level arranged tolift the countera weight; substantially as described.

3. A furnace having a hopper and bell, an operating-cable for the bellextending from thefurnace top down to a convenient level, and actuatingmechanism for the cable arranged to slow down its movement as the bellis seated; substantially as described.

4. A furnace having a hopper and bell, an operating-cable for the bellextending from the furnace top down to a convenient level and connectedto a counterweight, and mechanism arranged to lift the counterweight,said mechanism being arranged to give a slower movement as the bell isclosed substantially as described.

5. A furnace having a hopper and bell, an operating-cable for the bellextending down to a convenient level, and a crank device arranged toactuate the cable and change the speed of motion of the bell;substantially as described.

bell, operating connections for said bells extending down to aconvenient level, counterweights connected to the cables, and mechanismfor lifting the counterweights to lower the bells; substantially asdescribed. I

8. A blast-furnace having upper and lower hoppers, closing bellstherefor, a shaft having three pulleys or wheels, two flexibleconnections leading over the outer two wheels and connected to one bell,and a flexible connection leading over the center wheel and arranged toactuate the other bell; substantially as described.

9. A blast-furnace having upper and lower hoppers, closing bellstherefor, a shaft at the upper end of the bridge over the top of thefurnace having three pulleys or wheels with a common axis, two flexibleconnections leading over the outer wheels and connected to the lowermain bell, and a flexible connection leading over the middle wheel andconnected to the upper bell; substantially as described.

10. A furnace having a bell and hopper, an operating-cable connected toa counterweight, lifting mechanism connected to the counterweight andanother weight arranged to act in opposition to the counterweight andassist the lifting mechanism; substantially as described.

11. Afurnace having a bell and hopper, an operating-cable for the bellconnected to a counterweight, crank mechanism connected with thecounterweight and arranged to lift it, and another weight arranged toact in opposition to the counterweight, said other weight exerting apull substantially in line with the crank when the bell is closed;substantially as described.

12. A furnace having a bell and hopper, an operating connection for thebell extending from the furnace top down to a convenient level, acounterweight connected to said connection, and having greater weightthan the bell and its load, and mechanism for lifting the weight;substantially as described.

13. A blast-furnace having a plurality of hoppers and bells, an inclinedbridge leading toits top, wheels supported at the upper end of thebridge, operating-cables connected to the bells and extending over thewheels and down to a convenient level, and operating mechanism. for saidcables; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

J OI-IN G. CROMWELL. (1. WV. A. KOELKEBEGK. Witnesses:

II. D. SMITH, JOHN G. SHARP.

